Week 0 of the 2018 High School Football season is in the books and we had quite a few outstanding performers.
Before we recognize a few of those players, we wanted to let you know that our PSN Game of the Week this Friday will be Latrobe vs. Penn Hills. That matchup will have a bunch of D-1 talent in it and we’ll have a preview later this week on PSN.
Aside some great individual performances, a few area programs accomplished some noteworthy team performances:
*Shaler defeated New Castle, 34-21, to end their 24-game losing streak. Shaler’s last win occurred on October 9, 2015 when they beat Fox Chapel, 14-9. It was the first high school win for head coach Jim Ryan, who took over the program last year.
*Southmoreland also ended a long losing streak. Their 18-14 win over Mt. Pleasant ended a 13-game winless streak.
*Central Catholic beat Erie Cathedral Prep, 24-21, and ended Preps 28-game winning streak.
*Upper St. Clair beat South Fayette 34-33 and with that win, they ended South Fayette’s 57-game regular-season winning streak.
WEEK 0 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS
Zack Swartz, Washington, 375 yards passing (16-20)
Jamie Diven, South Fayette, 352 yards passing (22-36)
Derek Johncour, Avonworth, 347 yards passing (24-30)
Hunter Linhart, Plum, 299 yards passing (14-28)
Hollis Mathis, Penn Hills, 287 yards passing (21-37)
Jack Salopek, Norwin, 283 yards passing (20-28)
Michael Daure, Keystone Oaks, 249 yards rushing
Dominic Fundy, Beth-Center, 203 yards rushing
Connor Barrett, Chartiers Valley, 197 yards rushing
Lucas Harn, Brownsville, 187 yards rushing
Derrick Davis, Gateway, 181 yards rushing
Turner Grau, Avonworth, 9 catches for 209 yards
Max Matolcsy, Plum, 7 catches for 193 yards
Brandon Brown, Greensburg C.C., 6 catches for 167 yards
WEEK 0 DUNKIN’ DONUTS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After taking into account a few factors, we’re happy to announce that our Week 0 Dunkin’ Donuts Player of the Week is Norwin quarterback Jack Salopek. The junior came up big for the Knights as they defeated rival Penn-Trafford, 44-36. This win snapped Norwin’s 7-game losing streak to Penn-Trafford. Salopek threw for 283 yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 71 yards rushing and also scored a rushing touchdown.
Salopek will receive a gift card courtesy of Dunkin’ Donuts, our official sponsor of high school football on Pittsburgh Sports Now.
We will be naming our second annual Dunkin’ Donuts/Pittsburgh Sports Now Player of the Year at the end of the regular season. Last season, the award went to Quaker Valley quarterback Ricky Guss.